SANDAKAN: A sun bear cub found in a quiet Keningau village is now under the care of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC).
In a statement, the centre said the female cub named Sandokan arrived at its facility in Sepilok on Tuesday (April 21) after being rescued from Kampung Bariawa Laut in Sabah's interior, about 320km from Sandakan.
Villagers found the cub climbing a coconut tree in the village at about 8am on April 12, which was unusual as sun bears are typically found deep in the forest.
There was no sign of its mother and villagers secured the animal before help arrived.
A team from the Keningau fire station responded and safely transported the cub.
The Sabah Wildlife Department then took over the case before handing the cub to BSBCC.
BSBCC said Sandokan is slowly settling into her new environment.
"She is approximately seven months old and weighs about 6.5kg, which is slightly underweight," it said.
It added the cub has a healthy appetite and her coat is clean and well-maintained, with no visible skin issues.
There is, however, a missing claw on her right front limb.
"It will be closely monitored by the veterinary team to ensure proper healing," BSBCC said, adding Sandokan is stable and under close observation.
